Members Bikes

A narrow rim racing penny. This bike is likely have been made specifically for racing as the introduction of the safety bicycle half a decade earlier rendered penny farthings obsolete for transport and other forms of recreational riding. The narrow rim is of a type that was used for racing pennys. It's racing heritage is also evidenced by the bolt on (as opposed to brazed on) mounting step.The seat bracket is engraved Hickling & Co, The Pilot Racer, Maidenhead. The wheel is a “hollow rim” design identified with a small brass plate on the bike rim; Warwicks Patent Hollow Rim No 4957 SEPT 1882.The Pilot Co. was founded in 1868 by H. J. Timberlake, trading as Timberlake and Co. He introduced a solid rubber tyre secured to the metal rim by a wire running through the centre of the tyre. He also invented the front wheel roller brake, operated by rack and pinion from a twisting handlebar. Later the business was acquired by Hickling and Co, and given by them as security to the rubber manufacturers who made tyres for them. In 1886 the goodwill was purchased by C. J. Reynolds, who carried on the business till 1900, when he closed down.

Whether Pierre Michaux or his son Ernest, or a workman in their employ named Lallement, was the first to think of fitting cranks and pedals to the front wheel of the hobby-horse has never been definitively established. This we do know however, that the cycling era dates from the Michaux-made pedal-driven Velocipede of 1865.

At the Paris Exhibition of 1867 Michaux Velocipedes were shown and examples were purchased by Rowley B. Turner who persuaded his firm, the Coventry Sewing Machine Co., to make these "Boneshakers" for the French market.

This example formed a part of the Holmes a Court Collection for many years and has recently been brought back to rideable condition by its current owner, who, despite its weight and steel "tyres" insists that it is fact reasonably comfortable over short distances.

The Colnago Oval CX was a limited production bike between 1981-1983 and predates the development and use of aerodynamic features by the US cycling team in the 1984 Olympics. Columbus ovalised tubing was used for its aerodynamic qualities along with internally routed brake and shift cables through the frame. The ovalised tubing also addressed criticisms regarding frame stiffness that had been levelled at Colnago and was the first of a series of production bikes that featured crimped tubing.

This Swansea 5 Swan road bike was owned and raced by Stewart Bonser. It features road dropouts and derailleur gears, unusual on a Swansea. In common with many Australian bikes that have been ridden over a long period it has been periodically updated and sports a mix of componentry from the fifties to the eighties.

This Turner was bought at a bicycle swap meet some year's ago and has been dated to between 1900 and 1910 by it's current owner. The addition of a non-period Philco rear brake adds to practical ride-ability. The original saddle has been recovered. The one piece handlebar and stem is typical of many of the period with no forward reach.

Rossignoli have been building bikes in Milan since 1900. It is likely that this 8 speed racer dates from the late forties; its rare Simplex Tour de France 'gate changer' front derailleur was manufactured from 1947-49. The bike also features Campagnolo's Cambio Corsa rear shifter mechanism which is operated by two levers mounted on the rear stays. One lever operates the derailleur while the other loosens the wheel in the dropouts to allow for chain re-tensioning.

"Pennies" first appeared in 1869, superseding bone shakers. Both styles of bicycle had pedals and cranks directly coupled to the driven wheel, however the invention of the tension spoked wheel made possible the larger wheel diameters, and higher effective gearing, of the penny farthing.

Pennies ruled the roost for only a decade and a half, supplanted by the "safety" bicycle of 1885 and the pneumatic tyre of 1889.

This penny was built by the Royal Machine Manufacturing Co. of Birmingham, England. Royal began life as The Royal Sewing Machine Co, changing it's name in 1882. The company ceased trading in 1888.

Rotrax Cycles of Southampton was founded in 1945, pipping Mercian Cycles at the post for the title of the oldest framebuilder in the UK still in business.

Rotrax is one of the slightly less well known framebuilders in the UK but the quality of many of their frames in the early 1950s was as good as the very best available anywhere. The attention to detail on their top models was exquisite.

This classic English lightweight sports beautifully ornate hand-filed frame lugs, as was the style of the period. The restoration includes a modern coaster brake rear hub, seatpost and rims.

The model name Vel D’Hiv was cycling slang for the Parisian Vélodrome d’Hiver or Winter Velodrome.

Columbia Manufacturing Inc., the maker of this tricycle, is still in operation in Massachusetts. From their website; "Columbia has been credited with many firsts in the biking industry, since its founding in 1877 by Col. Albert Pope. It pioneered many improvements to the industry, producing bikes, motorbikes, and furniture for nearly 150 years."

Little is known about this model except that it dates from the mid 1880's.

Probably built by Armstrong Cycles Ltd of Birmingham, with some parts manufactured by other notable Birmingham firms, BSA, Brampton and Tube Investments.

This bicycle was built as a Path Racer, the ancestor of modern road racing bikes. Path Racers were a hybrid design that allowed racing on both paths (tracks) and roads, many of which were unpaved - the wide tyres allowed for all road surface conditions. A ‘New Eadie’ coaster brake is fitted to the rear wheel for road use.

While preservation is preferred to restoration, the original condition of this bike was poor enough to warrant some restoration of the metal finishes and replacement of original tyres.